Cummings & Lockwood Garners the Top Spot in Private Wealth Law in the 2019 Chambers High Net Worth Guide

Cummings & Lockwood is pleased to announce that for the fourth year in a row, the Firm has been ranked in Tier 1 in Private Wealth Law by Chambers & Partners in their 2019 Chambers High Net Worth Guide.   The Guide, which is based on objective and independent research, recognizes the world’s leading high net worth advisers.  Seven of the Firm’s trusts and estates partners have also been recognized as notable practitioners, including Douglas Olin, Heather Rhoades, Howard Tuthill, Kelley Galica Peck, Laura Beck, Michael Kaelin and Paul Bourdeau.

“We are proud to have been named one of the top private clients practices in Connecticut,” noted Jonathan B. Mills, Firm-wide Chairman and Managing Director of Cummings & Lockwood.

According to Chambers, “Cummings & Lockwood is ‘known as the pre-eminent trust and estate law firm’ and is considered to be one of the very best in Connecticut by various sources.  An interviewee says: ‘Over the years, trusts and estates has been a major focus of their practice. If you were thinking about Connecticut law firms that are at the top of the heap in terms of this work, you would have to say it's Cummings.’”

“The practice group draws particular attention for the quality of its attorneys. ‘Everyone there is an expert,’ remarks a source. ‘They're just such a great roster of lawyers. They're principled people who work hard for their clients,’ says an interviewee. A satisfied client holds the team to be ‘best in class technically,’ such that they ‘stand out in the market.’"

Notable Practitioners Recognized by Chambers

Douglas Olin (Partner, Greenwich Office) assists business owners and private equity principals with trust and estates matters. "I would refer to him unhesitatingly," says a local lawyer; "my sense is he's got a lot of affluent individuals as clients in the Greenwich area. He's a great guy." An interviewee considers Olin to be "very good at litigation disputes. He solves controversies for very high net worth families - those whose names you would recognise."

Heather Rhoades (Partner, West Hartford Office)  is regarded by various sources as a "phenomenal lawyer," "very bright and able" and a "young star" in the trusts and estates community. Rhoades has a comprehensive trust and estates planning and administration practice, with particular expertise in charitable planning. A client says: "Heather is really fantastic. She's able to take a combination of the complex, and maybe the boring or mundane, and make it interesting and engaging. She has a great combination of technical skills and an authentic, warm personality. From the fairly straightforward to the fairly complex, she's been wonderful in all cases."

Howard Tuthill (Partner, Stamford Office) is "legendary in the state," says one local lawyer; "he's top of the line. He's extraordinarily bright, incredibly hard-working and focuses solely on trust and estates. He is at the top of everyone's list here." Tuthill advises high net worth individuals on trust and estate matters, tax issues, business succession planning and philanthropy. "I think he is operating at the highest level," remarks one source; "he's tops in terms of technical work and client handling." According to numerous sources, Tuthill has a very sophisticated practice: "I would say Terry works on some of the most complicated situations that I've ever heard of. He's a super lawyer."

Kelley Galica Peck (West Hartford Office) is regarded as "a real go-getter and very hands-on with clients." Peck is considered knowledgeable on trust and estates matters and on probate litigation. "She is very well grounded in tax, charitable matters and estate administration," says an interviewee, adding: "She really understands the state laws and the federal tax implications of them."

Laura Beck (Partner, Greenwich Office)  is chair of the firm's private clients group in Connecticut. "She's incredibly competent and knows what she's doing," says a market expert. "It makes sense to me that she's become chair of the group. All that means is she's a team player. If Cummings think you should be the face of the group, that means a lot." Beck exclusively deals with trusts and estates, assisting clients with business succession planning, tax issues and probate litigation. Sources describe her as a "very strong lawyer," "fantastic" and "very sharp."

Michael Kaelin (Partner, Stamford Office) works primarily on probate litigation matters. "That's his speciality," says an interviewee; "he's a really good probate litigator. I would say he's one of the top litigators in this state." Another leading litigator suggests Kaelin is "really smart and a very good advocate for his clients," adding: "He's skilled and thoughtful - not visceral - he can think on his feet very quickly, but he doesn't lock himself into positions without thinking about them. You can have a principled discussion with him."

Paul Bourdeau (Partner, West Hartford Office) is "well known as a leader in complex estate planning." He is considered to be "one of the best in the state" and a "leading expert in the state on everything" by various sources. "Paul is a first-rate attorney," says one interviewee; "he's very smart and highly regarded." Bourdeau draws acclaim for his wide-ranging competencies. "Paul wrote the book in Connecticut on probate law and he is known by everybody," says a source. Another interviewee describes him as "a great lawyer" who "loves to work with executives. He's a good trust administrator, a good estate administrator and highly skilled in income tax."

About Chambers and Partners

Chambers and Partners, a U.K.-based publisher of legal guides, has dedicated the last 25 years to researching and ranking the world’s best lawyers.  They produce expert guides for the USA, UK, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Canada and Global market.

Launched in 2016, the Chambers High Net Worth Guide ranks the top lawyers and law firms for international private wealth. The guide also recommends leading accountancy firms, private banks, wealth managers, trust companies and other professional advisers to high net worth and ultra high net worth clients around the world.

The guide is used by family offices and professional advisers to wealthy individuals, providing objective guidance on an international scale.  Recommendations are based on an in-depth analysis provided by Chambers’ team of experienced researchers.